Hibiscus plant named ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching and moderately vigorous growth habit; early flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus moscheutos.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus moscheutos, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and Hibiscus cultivars with a compact plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Hibiscus originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. during the summer of 2000, of the Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Disco Belle Red, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Blue River II, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Carafe Yobordeaux was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. on May 29, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since June, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Carafe Yobordeaux has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching and moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early flowering habit.     -   4. Large red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Disco Belle Red. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the unnamed whole plant mutation of the cultivar Disco Belle Red in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are taller and fuller than plants         of the cultivar Disco Belle Red.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus flower about four days later than         plants of the cultivar Disco Belle Red.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus have larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Disco Belle Red.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Blue River II. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the cultivar Blue River II in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are shorter and fuller than plants         of the cultivar Blue River II.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus flower about two days earlier than         plants of the cultivar Blue River II.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the cultivar Blue River II         differ in flower coloration as plants of the cultivar Blue River         II have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Lady Baltimore, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Lady Baltimore in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were shorter, fuller and stronger         than plants of the cultivar Lady Baltimore.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the cultivar Lady Baltimore         differed in leaf shape.     -   3. Plants of the new Hibiscus flowered about two days later than         plants of the cultivar Lady Baltimore.     -   4. Plants of the new Hibiscus had lighter red purple-colored         flowers than plants of the cultivar Lady Baltimore.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can also be compared to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Luna Red, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Luna Red in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were taller than plants of the         cultivar Luna Red.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus flowered about four days later         than plants of the cultivar Luna Red.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’ grown in an outdoor nursery in Alva, Fla. for about six months.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. in one-gallon containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse during the summer and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 29° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 24° C. Plants were pinched about five weeks after planting. The description was taken about two months after the pinch. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Hoticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Carafe     Yobordeaux. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Disco             Belle Red, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Hibiscus moscheutos cultivar Blue             River II, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eight days at             temperatures of 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 12 to 14 days at             temperatures of 30° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 18 to 21 days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; upright and             outwardly spreading plant habit. Moderately vigorous growth             habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, lateral branches             potentially forming at every node.         -   Plant height.—About 31 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 36 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter:             About 9 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: 144A to 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 9.1 cm. Width: About 7 cm. Shape: Cordate to ovate.             Apex: Acute; narrowly tapering. Base: Cordate. Margin:             Crenate; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: Slightly darker             green than 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to             191A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to than             147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 191A.             Venation, upper surface: Towards the margins, 147A; towards             the base, close to 187A. Venation, lower surface: 191A to             146A. Petiole: Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146A overlain with 187A. Color,             lower surface: Close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Flowers develop at axillary leaf axils;             typically one or two flowers per axil. Flowers face upright             to outward.         -   Flower appearance.—Rotate red purple-colored flowers.             Flowers are open for about two days. Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Usually spring and summer or             during periods of warm weather.         -   Flower diameter.—About 11.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Corolla consists of five             petals; petals imbricate. Length: About 6.3 cm. Width: About             5.5 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate to orbicular. Apex:             Rounded; undulate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire to             slightly crenate; undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny; rugose. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 59A to             59B. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to             59B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five sepals fused into a             tubular calyx. Length: About 2.3 cm. Width: About 2 cm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Slightly pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146B.             Color, lower surface: Close to 146B to 146C.         -   Bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: About ten in a single whorl.             Length: About 2.3 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Sharply acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: Straight to slightly bent. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             Numerous, about 100. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther size:             About 2 mm by 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 4B to 4C.             Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity             per flower: One with five stigmas. Pistil length: About             3 cm. Style length: About 2.6 cm. Style color: Close to             155D; towards the apex, overlain with 57A. Stigma shape:             Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 62B to 62C. Ovary color:             Close to 154C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to     be tolerant to wind and rain and to have excellent garden     performance. -   Hardiness: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to be hardy     to USDA Zone 5. -   High temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been     observed to tolerate temperatures of about 40° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hibiscus. 

1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘Carafe Yobordeaux’, as illustrated and described. 